Rolling Stones songs: Short and Curlies
*Click for MORE ROLLING STONES SONGS 1962-PRESENT

It’s too bad/ She’s got you by the balls…

Written by: Jagger/Richard
Recorded: Dynamic Sounds Studios, Kingston, Jamaica, Nov. 25-Dec. 21 1972; Rolling Stones Mobile, Stargroves, Newbury, England, Apr. 1974; Island Recording Studios, London, England, May 20-25 1974
*Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012

From the The Rolling Stones – All the Songs book:
The message of this song seems to follow logically from “If You Really
Want to Be My Friend.” The difference lies in the way the frustration of
having a relationship with an interfering woman is expressed. Here it is no
longer the male half of the couple who is speaking, but one of his friends,
who tells him that he has been trapped like a rat in a hole by this woman
who knows his name and telephone number. The slang term short and
curlies refers, of course, to the pubic hair and is used in the expression to
have somebody by the short and curlies to denote having a person under
one’s complete control. From the very first line of the song, however,
Jagger uses the even blunter equivalent: Too bad, she’s got you by the balls,
before launching into a litany of reproaches: she crashed your car, she spent
your money…

“Short and Curlies” was recorded in Jamaica during the Goats Head Soup
sessions. This blues-rock number with a strong boogie-woogie accent was
reworked in Munich and then at Mick Jagger’s house, Stargroves, before
being finalized at Island Studios in London. The very good piano intro is
played by Ian Stewart, who only played on tracks he liked, leaving Nicky
Hopkins or Billy Preston the trouble of recording the ones that did not
interest him. “Stu always did what he wanted to do,” confirms Keith.
Having set up a boogie-woogie, indeed almost Dixieland, vibe, the pianist
is joined almost immediately by Mick Taylor with a brilliant and very
clear-toned slide guitar part, probably played on a Telecaster. Keith handles the
rhythm guitar, on which he provides unwavering support, apparently
leaving Mick Taylor to play lead, now with distortion. Charlie Watts
accompanies his bandmates with some excellent drumming, accentuating
the shuffle rhythm with the help of Bill Wyman, the two of them very much
at ease on this kind of track. As is Mick Jagger, whose performance again
lives up to his reputation. He doubles himself in the vocal harmonies and is
accompanied presumably by Keith. “Short and Curlies” is a good song that
resembles the melody of “Midnight Rambler” (Let It Bleed, 1969) in places.
It is a shame the Stones do not return to their roots more often.